Browsing: chief

Legendary former all-rounder Lord Botham said this month England’s lack of warm-ups against Australian state sides “borders on arrogance”. The batting struggles in the ongoing ODI series in New Zealand has not dampened such talk.

It is no secret England have tried to use the white-ball tour to aid their preparation, easing their Test players back into competitive cricket, increasing the workloads of their fast bowlers and trying to get batters time in the middle.

Fast bowling trio Gus Atkinson, Mark Wood and Josh Tongue have also been with the squads working on their own programmes with the backroom staff.

For some it has worked. Limited-overs captain Harry Brook scored a century in the first ODI and looks to be in decent form, while fast bowler Jofra Archer quickly found his groove to take 3-23 in the second match – his first outing of the winter.

However, Joe Root, Ben Duckett and Jamie Smith, all playing for the first time since the start of September, have scored 43 runs between them in four matches – leading to the issue rearing its head.

“I understand where the question comes from, the history of the game,” said Barney, asked whether the discussion around the pre-Ashes schedule is frustrating.

“The interesting question is – have you looked at the Future Tours Programme? Have you looked at franchise cricket and the fact that a multi-format player left the country on 13 October and if they play in every England commitment and play in the Indian Premier League and The Hundred they will have less than two weeks off between now and the end of September?

“There is a volume of cricket that takes place that means there is a constant balancing of red-ball, white-ball, franchise and domestic cricket commitments.

“We are confident in the set-up, the approach, the time the team have got together, the ability we have had to provide a set of different preparations that are optimal for different players.”

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Oct 23, 2025, 03:16 PM ET

TORONTO — Mark Wegner will be the World Series umpire crew chief for the first time, joined by Jordan Baker, Adam Hamari, Adrian Johnson, Will Little, Alan Porter and John Tumpane for the matchup between the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays.

Hamari, Johnson, Little and Tumpane will be making their World Series debuts as part of the crew that MLB announced Thursday.

Wegner, a 53-year-old who umpired his first big league game in 1998, also worked the Series in 2013 and 2017, when he was behind the plate for the Houston Astros’ Game 7 win over the Dodgers. Porter, 47, will be working his third Series after 2019 and 2022, and Baker, 43, his second following 2022.

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Little will be behind the plate for Friday’s opener in Toronto, with Wegner at first base, Tumpane at second, Porter at third, Hamari in left left, Baker in right and Johnson the reserve.

Johnson will work the plate in Game 2 and be followed by Wegner, Tumpane, Porter, Hamari and Baker.

Porter will be the crew chief in Game 2, when Wegner is the reserve.

Johnson, 50, debuted in 2006, Porter and the 42-year-old Tumpane in 2010 and Baker in 2012. Little, 41, worked his first game on June 24, 2013, one day before Hamari, 42.

Porter had the third-highest accuracy on balls and strikes in the major leagues this year at 95.46%, according to umpscorecards.com, trailing only Edwin Jiménez (96.18%) and Mark Ripperger (95.48%). Wegner was at 94.78% and among the World Series crew was followed by Hamari (94.77%), Little (94.72%), Tumpane (94.25%), Baker (93.91%) and Johnson (93.41%).

Dan Iassogna and Jeremie Rehak will be the video review umpires at the replay operations center in the commissioner’s office in New York.

Eight of the nine umpires worked in the Division Series, and Iassogna was a crew chief in the Wild Card Series.

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“Cricket is a truly global sport, and Ireland now stands on the threshold of tremendous opportunity – from the Olympic opportunity with the inclusion of cricket in the 2028 Olympics, the accelerated development of the women’s game, and the potential of bringing different communities together, to Ireland hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2030,” she added.

“I’m particularly keen to explore further avenues for commercial growth to ensure sustainable investment, and I look forward to supporting the ambitious plans for the development of the National Cricket Centre on the National Sports Campus and the upgrades to vital cricket infrastructure at Malahide, Stormont and others.

“I am committed to working collaboratively and tirelessly with the board, staff, players, and the entire cricketing community to deliver on those opportunities for Irish cricket and all involved.”

Cricket Ireland chair Brian MacNeice said he was “thrilled” by Keane’s appointment.

“Sarah brings a wealth of experience and is one of the most respected leaders in sport nationally and internationally,” added MacNeice.

“Her track record speaks for itself. Cricket Ireland is getting a world-class sports administrator and more importantly an individual of the upmost integrity, character and high-performance mindset.”

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Josh Sandifordin Birmingham

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Away fans will not be allowed to attend next month’s Europa League match in Birmingham between Aston Villa and Israeli side Maccabi Tel Aviv

The chief constable of West Midlands Police says the force “hasn’t failed anybody” as he defended the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans from next month’s fixture with Aston Villa.

An announcement by Birmingham’s Safety Advisory Group (SAG) to stop travelling fans attending the Europa League fixture on 6 November on safety grounds was widely condemned by politicians including the prime minister.

The government said it would fund any necessary policing operation to allow Maccabi’s fans to attend, before the Israeli club said it would decline their ticket allocation anyway because of a “toxic atmosphere”.

But Chief Constable Craig Guildford said on Wednesday he respected the decision, which was based on intelligence, and said: “Birmingham hasn’t failed anybody and neither has West Midlands Police.”

Birmingham’s SAG, which is the body responsible for issuing safety certificates for matches and made up of police, Birmingham City Council, fire and ambulance services, informed Villa last week no travelling fans would be permitted at the match.

Craig Guildford is the chief constable of West Midlands Police

Mr Guildford said that despite “good support” from the government, officers had professionally considered the risk and provided advice.

“I’ve read some of the intelligence that’s been received and the assessment that’s been made,” he added. “It’s based on professional judgement.”

Risk assessments that led to the ban have not been made public, but The Guardian has claimed police concluded the biggest risk of violence came from extremist fans of the Israeli club.

‘We never please everyone’

Mr Guildford added his force would “continue” to provide advice to the SAG and respect decisions made by the group.

“Decisions have to be respected if they are made,” he said.

“They are made with good, grounded understanding of the threat and what the risk is. Our job as the police is to try and keep everyone safe.”

Mr Guildford rejected suggestions that community confidence in the force had been impacted by the decision to ban away fans.

“We try our level best, from me all the way down in the organisation, to make sure we give the community confidence,” he said.

“We get lots of feedback around how reassuring our approach has been in certain communities. We will never, ever, please everyone.”

Israel Police

Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv was filled with smoke before the scheduled kick-off

On Sunday, an Israeli Premier League derby between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv was cancelled before kick-off on Sunday, after what police described as “public disorder and violent riots”.

Villa have now announced their ticketing policy for the match, insisting that only supporters with a purchase history prior to this season will be able to access a ticket.

The Israeli embassy in the UK said it was “deeply concerned by the hostility and incitement” that led to Maccabi withdrawing their away ticket allocation.

In a statement, Birmingham City Council said on Wednesday: “The Safety Advisory Group has provided advice to Aston Villa Football Club based on a risk assessment provided by West Midlands Police.

“If there is a change in the assessment of risk in the forthcoming match, then the Safety Advisory Group will commit to review its decision as appropriate.”

Police operationally independent

On Monday, Reform MP Danny Kruger said the government should overrule the ban using powers in the Police Act, rather than asking local authorities “politely if they’ll change their decision”.

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said there was a long-standing principle that police were operationally independent.

Downing Street later said that the powers did not apply, and could only be used on “rare occasions” when a force could not function effectively.

Nandy said the risk assessment in the Aston Villa case was “based in no small part on the risk posed to those fans that are attending to support Maccabi Tel Aviv because they are Israeli and because they are Jewish”.

“Now, we should be appalled by that and never allow it to stand,” she added.

But Ayoub Khan, whose Birmingham Perry Barr constituency is home to the Villa Park Stadium, claimed there was a “deliberate disingenuous move by many to make this a matter of banning Jews”.

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Mohammed Shami and Ajit Agarkar (Agency Photos) Pacer Mohammed Shami has responded to chief selector Ajit Agarkar’s comments about his fitness after a strong performance in the Ranji Trophy match for Bengal against Uttarakhand.The controversy emerged following Shami’s exclusion from India’s ODI squad for Australia, leading to a disagreement between the pacer and the chief selector.

‘Practically impossible to have three captains’: Ajit Agarkar explains why Shubman Gill succeeded Rohit Sharma as ODI skipper

“Let him say whatever he wants. You have seen how I bowled. It is all in front of your eyes,” Shami told reporters at the Eden Gardens at the end of the third day’s play.Agarkar had addressed the situation on Friday, expressing openness to including Shami in the team once he meets fitness requirements.”If Shami were here, I would give him an answer. If he is fit, why would we not have a bowler like Shami?” Agarkar questioned.”I have had multiple chats with him. Over the last six to eight months, what we have found out is that he was not fit. If he stays fit over the next few months, the story might be different, but he was not fit to be picked for the England tour,” Agarkar said.Shami demonstrated his capabilities in the Ranji Trophy opener by taking crucial wickets for Bengal. He concluded Uttarakhand’s first innings by claiming three wickets in a single over, securing a first-innings lead for his team.

Ranji numbers for Mohammed Shami:

• Matches: 90
• Wickets: 340
• Best Bowling in an Innings: 7/79
• Best Bowling in a Match: 11/151
• Bowling Average: 27.31
• 5-Wicket Hauls: 12
• 10-Wicket Match Hauls: 2

His impressive form continued in Uttarakhand’s second innings, where he captured four wickets. Among his victims were skipper Kunal Chandela, who scored 72, along with Abhay Negi, Janmejay Joshi, and Rajan Kumar.The performance appeared to challenge Agarkar’s stance on Shami’s fitness being the reason for his non-selection.Prior to this match, Shami had expressed his disagreement with the BCCI selectors’ explanation. He argued that his participation in four-day games contradicted their fitness concerns.

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October 8, 2025 | Paul Stimpson

As we continue to drive forward the pledges in Table Tennis United, it has been a busy month on the domestic and international scenes.

The new season is now well under way, with membership up and competitions flourishing; there has been success on the international stage for competitors of all ages; and of course, we are preparing to host WTT Star Contender London!

Here are the latest updates, mapped to the pledges.

Pledge 1 – Table tennis will be a thriving community – a sport for everyone with no barriers to taking part

Since the new membership season launched on 1 August, more than 26,675 members have joined or renewed – overall 7% ahead of last yearâ€s pace and continuing the steady year-on-year growth weâ€ve seen since the pandemic. Itâ€s great to see the strong uptake among women and girls, up 13% year to date, reinforcing our commitment to Levelling the Table. Weâ€ve also seen an 18% increase in under-11 memberships, a vital step in strengthening the pathway and securing the long-term future of the sport.

Competitions

While local leagues are getting back into the swing of things, weâ€re also pushing ahead with our national competition plans, and Iâ€m pleased to report the 2025/26 British Clubs Leagues season is a record-breaker, with new tiers, more teams and more divisions. 374 teams will compete in 40 divisions across every category and for the first time ever, the Senior British Clubs League will feature a sixth tier of competition, with two divisions at that level. A total of 18 divisions this season, up from 16 last season.

Weâ€ve also announced a new format for the Mark Bates Ltd National Championships, which will be an even bigger and better occasion for players and spectators in 2026, with a refreshed format that brings qualifying and the main draw together under one roof.

The Sussex 4* was a great success, with 180+ entrants. This was the third of this new series of events to take place, following Cleveland (May) and Nottingham (June). As anticipated, each one has been larger and more successful than the last, as confidence and familiarity grows, and the ‘series†becomes more established and embedded with the TTE community.

Following Sussex, there are further events in the 25/26 Calendar in Cardiff (Dec), Jersey (Apr), Cleveland (May), Wrexham (May/ June; TBC) and Nottingham (June; TBC). Please see here for details.

Active discussions are ongoing with a number of other organisers about additional 4* events. We welcome all assistance to help identify and establish additional Local Organising Groups at area level to create new capacity and resource. Clearly these new opportunities will only be successful if supported by the TTE players and community.

Workforce

The Coaching team have been developing TTEâ€s new Coach Development Framework. This framework sets out the future learning and development journey for coaches and aligns closely with the upcoming Player Development Framework. We are excited to officially launch this in the new year.

This game-changing framework represents a major step forward in our coach development pathway, introducing new role-based qualifications, innovative coach development programmes, and more than 200 bespoke video resources to support learning and practice.

In the meantime, we are delivering several Level 1 qualifications across the country, which will be mapped directly into the new framework. Alongside this, we continue to offer CPD opportunities for coaches, including in-person Multiball workshops (available via Sport:80), ensuring coaches can continue to grow, share, and connect right now. The coach development team is also designing an exciting CPD timetable for the year ahead, with plenty of opportunities for coaches to come together, learn, and progress.

Weâ€re pushing forward at pace, so please keep an eye out for further updates and opportunities to get involved.

The grassroots workforce is critical to the success of our sport and we continue to grow and develop officials, including tournament organisers and umpires – click here to see the latest courses which are open to anyone interested.

Pledge 2 – Culture change across the pathway that inspires world-class performances and medal success

England squads in action

Just before the Star Contender, we are proud to be hosting ITTF World Hopes Week at the Elite Training Centre in Sheffield (13-19 Oct), a global talent identification event that brings some of the best U12 young players in the world for intensive training and competition, as well as a chance for their coaches to network and learn from each other. The goal is to develop the next generation of table tennis champions and serving as a crucial step in the ITTF’s Hopes Programme for talent discovery.

Congratulations to Amber Lemmon and Jayden Xuen Chen, who qualified via the England Hopes Week tournament, and to Dimitar Dimitrov, who will also be at World Hopes Week by virtue of his world ranking.

Our Senior England squad will be competing at the European Championships in Croatia in October and we wish them the very best of fortune. The championships, and the corresponding continental tournaments around the world will decide which nations qualify for next yearâ€s World Championships – though, as host nation, England will be there anyway.

Congratulations to the four young athletes – Dimitar Dimitrov, Amber Lemmon, Assil Sarri and Sinan Surensoy – who competed at the European Under-13 Championships in Sweden in September.

And well done also to the 10 athletes who represented England at the Euro Mini Championships at the end of August. Amber, Assil and Sinan were also among them, along with Thomas Ellis, Sai Prasanna Kumar, Hannah Saunders, Rishaan Sawant, Lusio Wen, Cindy Xiao and Bethany Yang. Congratulations to Cindy on her seventh-placed finish.

We have also had the good news that Connor Green and Abraham Sellado have qualified by their rankings to compete at the Europe Youth Top 10, which starts in France on Friday.

Pulling on the England shirt for these prestigious tournaments is an important staging post in the development of young athletes and, on that theme, I am delighted that we have also announced the creation of the GB Youth Academy, in partnership with Grantham College and Charles Read Academy. This will enable promising athletes aged 12-18 to combine their educations with high-class practice and give them a better chance of success on the international stage.

Podium success at all ages

Elsewhere on the international front, Iâ€d like to pass on my personal congratulations to a number of athletes of all ages who have achieved success in recent weeks.

Tin-Tin Ho became European Universities champion, winning the Womenâ€s Doubles alongside her University of Nottingham colleague Jiaqi Meng.

VETTS England players won 36 of the 50 gold and silver medals available at the Veterans Home Nations Championships, this year hosted by England.

Kai Lun Chow won singles bronze at the WTT Youth Contender Otocec in Slovenia, while Rohan Dani went one better with doubles silver alongside Prisha Goel of India at the WTT Youth Contender Batumi in Georgia.

At the time of writing, we have seen good victories for Tom Jarvis and Anna Hursey at the China Smash in Beijing, with Anna through to the last 32. Annaâ€s recent success reflects well on everyone involved in the GB pathway based in Sheffield and her performances are turning heads among other nations, as evidenced by Europe No 1 Bernadette Szocs partnering Anna in the Womenâ€s Doubles at the Star Contender London.

Pledge 3 – Connection across the table tennis community

Major events

No fewer than 11 Olympic medallists and a host of top-20 players will be competing at the Copper Box from 21-26 October. Alongside them are a number of home-grown talents, and at the time of writing we are awaiting news of further wildcard places for our athletes.

Ticket sales are going well – so much so that we were able to open up extra capacity at the arena for the weekend sessions. Tickets remain available but are in limited supply for the later sessions – click here to buy.

Table Tennis England members had the opportunity to buy tickets first and at the best price during an exclusive priority window and I am delighted that significant numbers took advantage of this opportunity cementing the membership value proposition. I look forward to seeing our members there.

Stay tuned for big announcements around the World Team Table Tennis Championships 2026 ticketing – we will of course also communicate with our members by email, so I would recommend opting in to email communications if you have not already done so – you can do this in Sport:80. And make sure you become a member, or renew, in order to have fist options on tickets.

Building our digital capability

We have recently announced a partnership with Cloudathlete to transform our members†experience and launch the sport into a bright digital future. Following a thorough tender process, the Sheffield-based company – which already provides the TT Leagues and TT Clubs platforms for us – was appointed as partner for our membership platform and wider digital services.

Our members and the wider sport will see many benefits of this partnership, which marks a significant step forward on our digital journey, reshaping the way we connect with everyone involved in the sport. Weâ€ll be communicating progress on this in the coming months to enable a smooth transition.

Pledge 4 – A high performing organisation that is not just fit for today but is fit for the future

Partnerships

We have strengthened our ties with British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS), by progressing towards a Memorandum of Understanding which will bring BUCS players under the TTE umbrella for the first time.

Board

Iâ€d like to welcome two Non-Executive Directors, Leanne Oâ€Leary and Paul Bishop, to the Table Tennis England Board. Leanne has an impressive background in sports law, arbitration and mediation, while Paul has had a long executive career in finance. Their appointments strengthen the Board in key skills, experience, knowledge and diversity.

At the Boardâ€s August meeting, Directors took part in Safeguarding Training presented by the Child Protection in Sport Unit and Ann Craft Trust. In addition, as part of our commitment to ongoing board development, the Sports Governance Academy delivered an interactive session on Board Room Dynamics, which encompassed roles, behaviours and culture.

Governance

We continue to work through updates in our Regulations and supporting documentation including the development of a County Handbook to support the committees of our Counties and their ongoing good governance. We will communicate further when they are available on the website.

People

The final stage of our Transgender Policy consultation has concluded, and we now move forward into the analysis stage. We look forward to presenting our findings at the November Board meeting which includes an analysis of our individual and organisation consultation interviews and follows on from the findings of our online survey conducted in July.

Our Culture Working Group have made great progress on our culture, values and behaviours work and an update to all staff is scheduled to take place in October and Board in November. We look forward to sharing progress following our all-staff day in June.

We undertook our annual staff survey this month with a huge response from the team. We look forward to providing insight into the responses to our teams and supporting action plans that will feed into the in-person conversations that will be held before the end of the year.

It has also been another exciting period for recruitment, as weâ€ve welcomed new team members in Finance, Coach Learning & Development and from November in our Table Tennis Development and Engagement teams. I look forward to meeting with our new starters online and in person in the coming weeks.

As we look ahead, there is much to be excited about — from seeing world-class players compete at WTT Star Contender London this month, to the continued progress weâ€re making on and off the table in preparation for hosting the World Team Table Tennis Championships in 2026.

We look forward to seeing many of you in London. In the meantime, be sure to subscribe to Table Tennis England to stay up to date with the latest news, event information, and exclusive updates as we continue our journey towards the World Championships and beyond.

Best wishes
Sally Lockyer
Table Tennis England CEOÂ

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Duke is getting help from former Blue Devils player and Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum.

The school announced Tuesday that the six-time NBA All-Star would serve in a volunteer advisory role for the program as “chief basketball officer.” Tatum is currently recovering from a ruptured right Achilles tendon suffered in May during the NBA playoffs.

In its release, the school said Tatum’s tasks will include in-person visits with the team to discuss development, professionalism and team culture, as well as mentoring athletes in areas such as career management, building a personal brand or managing time demands as a college athlete.

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Tatum will also check in with periodic virtual team meetings or discuss roster construction with coach Jon Scheyer at a program that regularly produces high-level NBA talent, including 2025’s No. 1 draft pick and Associated Press national college player of the year Cooper Flagg.

Tatum attended Duke’s “Countdown to Craziness” preseason event Friday in a ceremonial kickoff to the season, with Scheyer telling fans that Tatum would assist the program in the months ahead.

“This program has always been about pushing the game forward,” Scheyer said in Tuesday’s statement. “Jayson has been incredibly loyal to Duke since the day he committed, and this evolution represents the next step in how we connect The Brotherhood to the future of our players. Jayson is the ultimate professional.

“His ability to inspire, motivate, and guide our student-athletes is unmatched, and I could not be more excited to see the impact he will have on our team and our culture.”

Tatum was a one-and-done star for the Blue Devils during the 2016-17 season before moving on to become the No. 3 draft pick. Tatum blossomed into one of the NBA’s top players and helped Boston win the 2024 championship.

“This program means so much to me, and I had an unbelievable time here,” Tatum said in a statement. “I already watch every game, come back whenever I can, and connect with Coach Scheyer often. To have the chance to formalize my relationship with the program and broaden my ability to impact the players and culture means the world to me.

“As former players, we all share the responsibility of supporting the next generation of Duke Basketball.”

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Tilak Varma met Telangana CM Revanth Reddy after he guided India to the Asia Cup 2025 trophy in Dubai (Images via X/@ANI & Getty Images) Indiaâ€s Asia Cup 2025 final hero Tilak Varma paid a visit to Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Tuesday, where he was felicitated for his match-winning performance against Pakistan in Dubai. Reddy praised Tilak’s efforts and posed with a cricket bat presented by the young batter, mimicking a shot on the pitch. State Sports Minister Vakiti Srihari and several sports officials were also present during the ceremony. Earlier, speaking to reporters, Varma looked back on his heroics in the high-pressure final. The 22-year-old admitted he had to remain calm under intense pressure, reminding himself that he was batting not just for himself but for the 140 crore people back home. “There was a lot of pressure and nerves in my body. A lot was going on in my mind. In my mind and heart, I thought that whatever I do, I will give my life for the country. If I am under pressure and fail, I am not just bringing myself down, I am bringing down 140 crore people. To do that, I had to stay calm. I have learnt the basics from my childhood, and I have had this habit since I was a kid — to be calm and execute everything in my mind,†Varma said. In the final, India lost key top-order batters Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Suryakumar Yadav early, leaving the team in a tough position. Tilak rose to the occasion, striking an unbeaten 69 to guide India to a five-wicket win and secure their ninth Asia Cup title. Tilak also credited partnerships for Indiaâ€s recovery, highlighting his stand with Shivam Dube. “The wicket was not that easy for batting. As soon as we came back, we won the game by building a partnership. That is the quality of India,†he said. He also spoke about the distractions during the India–Pakistan clash, saying, “Pakistan always tries to distract the players. A lot of things happened when I was batting, but I canâ€t tell you on camera. It happens in India-Pakistan matches — we say a lot of things in the middle of the game. But the real answer is when you win the match. Thatâ€s what I had to do, and I did it.â€

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What was the highlight of Tilak Varma’s performance in the final?

The young batter and his post-match celebrations, pumping his fists and passionately shouting after Rinku Singh hit the winning four had immediately went viral after the final.

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L-R: ACC & PCB chief Mohsin Naqvi; Team India on podium without trophy. TimesofIndia.com in Dubai: The Asia Cup 2025 final between India and Pakistan ended in ugly drama on Sunday night in Dubai, after Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman and ACC president Mohsin Naqvi allegedly walked away with the winners†trophy, leaving the presentation ceremony in complete disarray.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!India, who defeated Pakistan by five wickets to clinch a record-extending ninth Asia Cup title, flatly refused to accept the silverware from Naqvi. The players stood firm at a distance from the stage, reportedly informing the organisers that they would not participate in the presentation if the PCB chief attempted to hand over the trophy.READ ALSO: Rs 21 crore bonanza! BCCI rewards Team India after record 9th Asia Cup winThe standoff brought the ceremony to a grinding halt. As Naqvi waited awkwardly on the dais, Indian fans inside the stadium booed loudly, chanting “Bharat Mata Ki Jaiâ€, making the atmosphere even more hostile. It was quite apparent that Naqvi didnâ€t want to see India getting photographed with the trophy, with organisers eventually whisking it away into the dressing room after prolonged delays.Sources revealed that the Indian team had already informed the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) that Naqvi, also Pakistanâ€s interior minister, was an unacceptable figure to present the cup. The refusal followed a series of frosty exchanges during the tournament — from no handshakes between players, to the absence of the traditional pre-toss photoshoot.An ACC source further revealed that the Indian team made it clear they didnâ€t want Naqvi on the podium.

Team India celebrates the Asia Cup win on the podium without the trophy.

In another twist, the Pakistan players remained inside their dressing room for nearly an hour after the match, leaving Naqvi stranded on stage. When skipper Salman Agha and his team eventually emerged, they were greeted by deafening chants of “Indiaaaa, Indiaaaa†from the crowd.On the field, however, Indiaâ€s win was emphatic. Tilak Varma anchored the chase with an unbeaten 69 off 53 balls, adding a crucial 60-run stand with Shivam Dube (33). Earlier, Kuldeep Yadavâ€s 4-30 dismantled Pakistanâ€s middle order, restricting them to 146 after a promising start from Sahibzada Farhan (57) and Fakhar Zaman (46).While India celebrated yet another continental crown, the night will be remembered as much for the cricket as for the chaotic and unprecedented trophy fiasco that followed.

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Chairman of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Mohsin Naqvi (PTI Photo/Kamal Kishore) Just a day before the much-anticipated Asia Cup final between India and Pakistan, PCB chairman and Asian Cricket Council chief Mohsin Naqvi has stirred controversy with a cryptic post on social media. On Friday, Naqvi wrote: “How much time do you need to explain the reasons behind the balancing act?†It appears to be a remark that has sparked speculation about its target and timing.

Pakistan coach fires warning ahead of Asia Cup final

The post came against the backdrop of escalating tensions between the two cricket boards, BCCI and PCB. Earlier this week, India captain Suryakumar Yadav was summoned for an ICC hearing after Pakistan lodged a complaint over his comments that paid tribute to Indian armed forces and victims of the Pahalgam terror attack.

Mohsin Naqvi’s X post

Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Though Suryakumar pleaded not guilty, ICC match referee Richie Richardson ruled that the statement breached the code of conduct. The Indian skipper has been fined 30 percent of his match fee.The BCCI, meanwhile, lodged its own complaint against Pakistanâ€s Haris Rauf and Sahibzada Farhan for their provocative gestures during the Asia Cup Super 4 clash. Rauf mimicked the downing of an aircraft, while Farhan celebrated his fifty with a mock gun-firing gesture. Both acts triggered backlash for crossing the line of on-field behaviour. The ICC has since penalised Rauf with a 30 percent match fee deduction, while Farhan received an official warning. In a surprising move, Naqvi, according to Pakistani media outlets, has offered to personally pay Raufâ€s fine, further intensifying the spotlight on the issue.Adding fuel to the fire, Naqvi also shared a slow-motion Cristiano Ronaldo video on X (formerly Twitter), showing the footballer mimicking a crashing motion. The clip bore striking resemblance to Raufâ€s controversial gesture, raising questions about whether the PCB chief was indirectly endorsing the playerâ€s actions.With both boards trading complaints and players facing sanctions, the run-up to the Asia Cup final has been overshadowed by off-field controversies. The ICC has maintained that political gestures have no place in cricket, but tensions between the rivals have blurred the lines of acceptable conduct.

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